Six Sigma wasn’t necessarily built for manufacturing environments. That was the original intended purpose, to be sure. The methodology, however, can accommodate all systems based improvement efforts that may be pursued. The other facet of the question, “How can Six Sigma work for IT projects?” rests on whether the technology-based processes are known systems. This […]

The core mission of Clarity is to provide a Portfolio Management construct for the organization, along with delivering the Project Management components that are needed to fulfill the PPM solution. This system depends on a process within the organization to select and prioritize projects based on the goals and alignment with Corporate priorities. If you […]

In the early phases of a project, the team members, stakeholders and sponsors are all focused on the work ahead – they are gathering requirements, setting up a business case or getting familiar with the product that will be central to the project. One of the items that doesn’t get much attention during this initiation […]

Having implemented a “few” PMOs, I can share a phenomenon that many of you can relate to – the notion that “Portfolio Management” or “the PMO” is going to make an IT department’s situation different because of their existence. I can sadly say that I’ve heard too many seat pocket ideas (like those found holding […]

In the series of activities that make-up the basics of Project Management, Scope Management is a subject that gets alot of attention when things go wrong. With all of the “flavors” of Project Management these days (Scrum, Agile, traditional, waterfall, RUP, CMMI, etc) the basic tenets of any PM methodology are the same – help […]

When most projects start out they have an identified problem that is driving the effort. Every project I’ve been a part of, or can think of for that matter, has at it’s core a problem, perceived problem or need that is moving people to action. I believe that a large number of these projects are […]

Most Project Managers think selling as a PM’s skill is some sort of an oxymoron – being a PM is the opposite of selling. You manage and report the facts, deal with estimates and manage a group of people. The sheer fact of the job limits the ability for a PM to sell, right? I […]

In nearly every case, I witness and experience the act of selling as a Project Manager. On a daily basis, I provide to my clients the same exact steps as a consultative sales professional does. There are two distinct differences between the sales professional and the Project Manager: 1. The Project Manager doesn’t “sell” as […]

It isn’t enough to be right, or to have an idea that will make the problem go away if you are presenting something “new”. In a majority of cases, others (that you work with) are reluctant to believe an idea or position that they aren’t familiar with. It’s not a trust issue, per se, in […]

The single most important component of project management is communication. Communication is also the one area discussed by PMI and the PMBOK the least and largely left to the imagination of Project Managers. The Standish Group produces a report titled “The Chaos Report” in which they review IT Projects and various aspects of managing projects […]